I Love You Super Dad
by neila cross
Summary: A few years after Gabriella's psychopathic nightmare rein, it's Father's Day again - but not in the perfect way every father would imagine it to be...


**_Belated Happy Father's Day!  
Dedicated to _troypazash_ who has waited for quite some time after I told her I'd write a oneshot for father's day..._**

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**Love You Super Dad**

"_Any man can be a father. It takes someone special to be a Dad."_

Troy Bolton woke up on a fine Wednesday morning grinning to himself. It was his special day and although he didn't show it, he was expecting special treatment from his family. His first order of the day was to get a little bonus from his wife, who was still sleeping peacefully beside him. Troy grinned and bent down, nuzzling her neck. Unfortunately, Sharpay wasn't in the mood for a morning cuddle and she instantly slapped him away.

Scowling, Troy got up and fixed his side of the bed before heading for the en-suite bathroom planning to take a long bath. Not five minutes later, he heard his wife's cellphone ringing and right after that a screech followed by frantic knocking on the bathroom door. Troy instantly turned off the tap and opened the door only to be brushed aside by his wife who promptly started undressing.

Troy grinned but Sharpay merely went into his prepared bath and shooed him from the bathroom to fix the bed. Starting to get grumpy at such an early hour, Troy went out and fixed her side of the bed.

Sharpay came out of the bathroom wrapped in a bathrobe with a towel wrapped toga-style. She hurried straight to the walk-in closet and started rummaging for clothes as Troy watched helplessly. She didn't utter 'good morning' as she walked out of the room looking very stressed.

"So much for Father's Day." Troy muttered as he straightened out the last unseen wrinkles of the king-sized bed.

After showering and picking a power suit for the day (he had a big meeting), Troy went down to the kitchen to have breakfast. What met him downstairs was pandemonium or rather, a break in the normally peaceful morning routine in the Bolton household. Sharpay was frying eggs while trying to get a screaming five year old Zoe to calm down and yelling on her phone all at the same time. Zach looked dejected and angry and offered no help to his mother while Bono howled along with the hum of entropy making everything twice as unbearable.

"Troy don't just stand there!" the authoritative voice of his wife startled Troy and brought him back to the reality of the situation. He immediately picked up his little girl and swung her around hoping she would calm down. Zoe did, but not before spilling her milk all over his Ralph Lauren suit.

"Oh my God!" Troy cried inciting another wail from his daughter and he was forced to ignore his ruined suit as he focused on calming her down.

"What? Another rehearsal… a new dance?! Are you fuc- are you out of your mind!? The play is a week away!" Sharpay screamed into her phone adding to the orchestra of disorder and that's when Troy noticed that she left the eggs on the pan and they were now black and the smoke was rising pretty fast. He put down Zoe quickly and rushed to cover the pan and fan off the smoke that was making its way to the fire alarm but he was too late. With a shrill scream, the alarm sounded and the sprinklers turned on dousing everyone and everything.

"Holy SHIT!" screamed Sharpay and she escaped quickly into the backyard while Zoe bawled her lungs to the fullest and Zach still sat on his chair looking really angry and wet. Troy rushed to turn the alarm off but there were so many obstacles in front of him and when he managed to turn it off, everyone and everything was very wet.

"Troy what happened?" Sharpay hissed getting back into the house and running a hand through her wet blond hair. Zoe was still howling like mad and Zach hardly moved a muscle while Bono went outside to shake himself dry.

"You burned the eggs Sharpay." Troy answered receiving a glare from his wife.

"If you didn't take too long in the shower you could've helped me with breakfast." Sharpay snapped coldly and went off to change her outfit.

"Okay Zoe." Troy sighed getting down to his daughter's level, "What's the matter?" he asked. Zoe sniffled and looked at her empty glass of milk.

"Well the milk taste bad and I told mommy but she told me to wait. So I did and then when I tried to tell her the milk taste bad again she yelled at me." Troy's heart broke seeing his daughter so upset so he carried her to a nearby chair but before he set her down, he raised her to his eye level.

"What do you mean the milk tasted bad?" he asked and as if on cue, Zoe vomited her milk all over his suit. Troy sighed heavily and set her down before going to the refrigerator to check on the milk. It was expired. He threw it in the trash bin and noticed his son still glaring at his plate.

"What's the matter buddy?" he asked kneeling down beside his son. Zach tried to hide the tears which were gently rolling down his cheeks but Troy put his hands away.

"I was cooking breakfast for everyone. Then Mommy told me to just sit down and wait. I told her I could do it and then she told me not to sass her." Zach explained looking very hurt that his mother told him such words.

"Everyone has a bad day buddy. Mommy's having one today but what say we clean up the kitchen and you make us some cereal okay? I'll pick you up in the middle of the day and we three will have a cleaning barrage, yeah?" Troy asked his children who both immediately brightened up and started calming down. Zach prepared his father's breakfast while Zoe held the roll of paper towel her father handed to her to wipe away the wet table and chairs so they could use it when they eat.

"Okay kids, I'm gonna change and we're all going to eat breakfast together, deal?" Troy called out.

"Yeah!" his children answered him and he went up feeling cheerful that at least they weren't sulking anymore. His next problem was his wife. Troy knew Sharpay could be really harsh when she's stressed, he always being on the receiving end. So he approached their room with caution.

Opening the door a crack, he heard her rummaging through the closet and he immediately crept into his own closet looking for a suit. After dressing, he came out and found Sharpay putting on her makeup and thanking God that since they were all waterproof, they were salvaged from the damn sprinklers.

"Troy why are you still here?" she snapped when she noticed him standing behind her.

"I had to change my clothes," he answered curtly and walked towards the door.

"The kids have to be in school!" she yelled standing up suddenly and Troy, who didn't want a repeat of this morning, held her back by her shoulders.

"Screw school! We're gonna have breakfast and then we're gonna dry the house." Troy explained.

"You'll clean the house wearing a suit?" his wife scoffed looking incredulously at his Dior three piece.

"Oh hell, I'll call the office and tell them I can't make it." Troy shrugged but was held back by Sharpay.

"Troy, can you just eat a quick breakfast and stop with the 'I'll do anything I want' attitude?" Sharpay snapped and dragged him back to the kitchen. The couple found their children eating breakfast peacefully with Bono eyeing Troy's breakfast with a hungry look.

"Oh who prepared the cereal?" Sharpay asked cheerfully and Zach refused to look at his mother.

"Zach did." Zoe answered for him and Sharpay went over to her son who flinched away from her.

"What's the matter, honey?" she asked looking bewildered. Usually her son lived for his mother's praises but not today. She looked at Troy questioningly.

"Well, everyone has their bad days. Right buddy?" Troy asked and when Zach looked at him, he nodded and Zach looked at his mother.

"I felt bad that you didn't want me to cook the eggs," he admitted dryly and Sharpay felt bad for her earlier behavior. She hugged her son apologizing profusely while she looked over his shoulder and mouthed a 'thank you' to her husband who nodded. Troy watched them and then went over to his seat to start breakfast. As soon as his rear hit the partially wet wooden chair, Bono leapt on his lap and started slurping happily at the cereal while Troy had to deal with his dog's wagging tail which was repeatedly hitting his face.

"You're welcome, Bono. Thank you for eating my breakfast," he told the Golden Retriever sarcastically. Bono barked happily licking at his milk mustache making Zach and Zoe giggle. Sharpay just smirked and then told her children to get ready for school and told her husband to get ready for work.

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"Now you be a good girl now, okay honey?" Troy asked Zoe as he opened the car door for her. His daughter just looked up at him frightfully and held the straps of her knapsack tighter.

"Zoe, what's the matter?" Troy asked kneeling in front of his daughter.

"I'm scared Daddy. I saw Zach go to the big school all by himself and he looked brave but I'm not as brave as him." Zoe admitted tearfully and Troy wondered why this was such a problem but he tried to put himself in her shoes and sat down beside her in the backseat as she cried, staining his suit.

"You know, I was scared too when I was in kindergarten," he told her and when she looked up, he sent her a wink and continued rubbing her back, "I would really hold Grandpa's hand real tight and he joked that if I didn't let go I'd squeeze his hand to death!" Troy knew he was exaggerating. Contrary to his story, Troy was always excited to go to kindergarten and Jack would joke that if he _didn't hold_ _his_ hand, it'd be the death of him.

"Really?" his daughter asked admiringly and Troy nodded knowing he got her to believe his tall tale and start to feel alright. It was best to put yourself in your child's situation first, his mother lectured him, so that she will trust in what you'll say next.

"Yep, so then one time, Grandpa just walked me to the door and he was holding my basketball. We got to the door and he told me that I have to make a friend before he gives me my ball back. I was angry and I was terrified – I didn't know anyone! But I thought about my ball and I approached this curly-headed kid…" Zoe's face lit up at the recognition of one her most favorite people on earth.

"Uncle Chad!" she squealed in delight and Troy nodded smiling.

"So I went up to him and asked his name. He told me and the next thing I knew my dad gave me my ball and Chad and I are playing at the outside courtyard." Troy finished his story remembering the real version…

"_Dad!"_

"_Troy, I told you – you do not let go of my hand when we are crossing the street."_

"_But me and Chad are gonna play with my ball today!"_

_The little brunette boy crossed his arms and stomped his way beside his father who was holding an orange ball with the word 'Troy' scrawled somewhere in the middle, depending on the viewer's point of view. Jack Bolton just walked leisurely towards the kindergarten ignoring his son's tantrum._

"_Hey Troy!" a little boy with an afro called out from the other side of the chain link fence across the street. Troy's face lit up as he waved energetically at his friend, his blue shirt becoming untucked by the process. _

"_Who was supposed to bring the ball today?!" Chad yelled while Jack Bolton was busy checking the street for any passing cars._

"_I was supposed to-" Troy yelled back when his bestfriend held up his own basketball._

"_Okay, I thought it was me." Chad called out but Troy shook his head, hardly glanced left and right before tearing across the street whooping triumphantly. He entered the kindergarten and reappeared at the back and was already high-fiving Chad when Jack Bolton processed what just happened. _

"So you and Uncle Chad just became friends because you wanted your ball back?" the precocious little Zoe asked her father as she stroked her chin carefully imitating the Thinker. Troy just gave her one of his charming grins and nodded his head.

"Yep, and after that, I realized how easy it was to make friends." Troy explained and smiled as his daughter nodded her head and tentatively reached out to him. Troy took her little hand and he locked the car before walking her to the door. They walked in and Troy smiled as they reached Zoe's classroom. Kaitlin, Zoe's teacher glanced at them and Troy signaled 'a moment' as he kneeled in front of his daughter who still looked quite terrified.

"Now remember Sweetie, just come up to one of the kids and say 'hi' okay? You'll be alright from there." Zoe nodded and Troy kissed her forehead watching her enter the classroom looking back once in a while to see if he was still there. Kaitlin smiled and asked her to place her things in the cubbyhole. Zoe did as she was told and then looked awkwardly around the room. All the children seem to know each other already. Zoe looked at Troy one more time and Troy wondered if she'll get over her shyness since she looked like she was about to run back and ask to be taken home. Then he saw it – it wasn't really noticeable had he not been watching her closely but he saw it. There was the glimmer of determination in her eyes and instantly her demeanor changed. She was no longer the shy and scared little girl in the car, she was Zoe Bolton. Troy watched in pride as his daughter automatically put on a beautiful smile and walk up to one of the boys (he frowned at that one) and introduce herself.

"Hi," she said in a not-so-shy voice and the boy glanced up from his truck to grin back at her. He stood up and dusted his jeans before holding out his hand.

"Hi, I'm Mark Taylor," the boy said and then suddenly, not more than three seconds later, the two were both playing trucks. Troy sneered at the boy since he seemed to grab his daughter's attention easily. Other kids noticed them and started approaching Zoe and she started talking or playing with them but when Mark called her attention, she was at his side as quick as lightning.

"I know that look." Kaitlin said bringing Troy out of his reverie. He shook his head and gave her a confused grin, "What?" he asked politely.

"That was the same look my father gave my husband when we met in middle school. I was a new student back then and really shy so he'd watch over me until the bell rings. I met Chris and we were inseparable!" she laughed and Troy laughed along with her.

"She's only five and yet she's just like her mother – an eye catcher in every way," he told her and she smiled nodding her head.

"There are kids like that. They come out of their shell and 'boom!' complete social queens." Kaitlin said and this made Troy very uneasy.

"Well I'll make sure my 'Social Queen-to-be' knows how to be conservative…" he muttered before walking back to his car and driving off to work.

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After a stressful day on his job, Troy slumped back on his seat and contemplated upon the day's events. Nobody seemed to have remembered that it was _his _day – they were all so wrapped up in their own problems. The phone rang interrupting his sulking.

"Hello?"

"Troy?"

"Sharpay – are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a little stressed though. I need someone to vent on."

"What about Ryan?"

"He went back to Albuquerque yesterday, remember?"

"Oh yeah… so what happened?"

"Well our director's nuts. I don't know what the hell is wrong with him but he loves – just _loves _– to change things in the last minute. He changed our dance routine – which we have been practicing for two months, take note: TWO MONTHS – today and when we finally got it right…"

"He wanted to change it again?"

"Exactly!"

"What a bitch."

"I know! Oh god, you do not know how much you made me happy just hearing you say that!"

"Well, I knew you married me for a reason."

"Very corny – so anyway, he gave us a break and my legs are killing me! You don't know how much I want to strangle the guy right now. Ooops, I think he heard that, he just narrowed his eyes at me…"

"Sharpay, when you start bashing about someone, you should at least make sure they aren't in the vicinity or in very close hearing proximity."

"Is it my fault I was trained to modulate the volume of my voice into which I am usually heard?"

"Obviously, whispering and having great faith in your phone's very good speakers doesn't sit well with you."

"Whatev – oh my fucking! He wants us to practice again. Obviously he heard me. TTYL – love you!"

Troy stared at his phone with a perplexed look. What his wife did was so highschool but he appreciated it nonetheless. At least she didn't call and vent out on Taylor – she picked him; him: her husband over her bestfriend. He smiled at the thought that him being her husband still counts for something.

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Parking in his driveway that night, Troy got out of his Jaguar feeling like his feet were lead. He had a tough day at work and he wasn't up for anything except dinner, a hot bath and then bed. Entering through the kitchen, he suddenly inhaled heaven.

_Lamb chops_, he thought, his mouth watering.

Following the smell, he ended up in the dining room where Sharpay and the kids were seated looking like they have been waiting for him the whole night. Troy looked at the food arranged on the dining table and noted that they were all his favorite dishes. He glanced at Sharpay who motioned for him to sit down and when he did, confetti fell from the ceiling and so did tiny blue balloons.

"HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!" he's family cried and Troy beamed at them.

"I thought you all forgot about it," he muttered and Sharpay patted his arm and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"We haven't, it's just that today wasn't a good day," she told him and Troy nodded.

"Before we eat, we wanna tell you how thankful we are to have you as our Daddy." Zoe announced and everyone turned their eyes on her. She cleared her throat and Troy chuckled.

"I want to thank you Daddy – for making me brave today. I made new friends and became best friends with Mark today." Troy tried not to frown as he thought of the little boy who might one day sweep his daughter off her feet and whisk her away to God knows where.

"I want to thank you for being Dad because you teach me basketball and… manly stuff." Zach grinned puffing his 'manly chest' at his father who grinned back. Sharpay frowned between the two not really happy with all the 'manliness' going around but when Troy looked at her expectantly, she decided that she would let it slide. After all, who wouldn't after he flashes that million dollar kilowatt smile of his that just knocks her off her feet?

"What should I be thankful for?" she teased earning a frown, "Oh yeah… for having you as a wonderful husband and father of our children. Even in our worst days, you still forego your own special holiday to take care of us – and that, for me, makes you the most special man alive." Troy stood up and walked over to his wife and leaned down to give her a long, innocent turned somewhat passionate kiss (children: EW), as his thank you.

As he pulled away, he whispered, "Look who's corny now." Sharpay slapped him lightly on the chest as he smirked and go back to his seat.

"Don't push it." Sharpay retorted and everyone started eating. Troy chuckled and rolled his eyes as he started slicing his lamb chops but before he could take a bite, Zoe pulled on his sleeve and he put down his fork with the scrumptious lamb chop piece to face her.

"I love you, Super Dad." Zoe said innocently with her beautiful smile and Troy just froze. His heart felt like soaring – looking into his daughter's deep orbs of blue he couldn't help but feel like it was just like any other family night, but with a little zing because it was Father's Day – but for Troy, it meant everything in the world.


End file.
